Is there rumor/talk that your agency will implement officer wearable cameras ?

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There has been a lot of discussion about it in my city and I believe the mayor did announce us getting body cams for about 7 million dollars here in Houston. HPD still needs improvement as many of the council members have said, but the use of body cams for Houston, TX is on the way.

Done and done, even prior to Ferguson. Have had them in the patrol cars for years already... Just added the body cameras to all uniformed personnel. Overall the original reaction to both (the car cameras years ago and the more recent addition of body cameras) was no and HELL NO! But as with many things folks often resist initially they have actually been more help than hurt. In this day and age everyone has a video camera with them at all times anyway (cell phones) and they use them anytime the police are around, so you're being filmed one way or the other. Difference is... When it's video of you doing something people perceive as bad, it's all over the news and the internet. If it's video of you doing something good... Well you have about a 75% chance of the person actually uploading it or sending it somewhere.

My personal opinion is this... If you get yourself jammed up for doing something you shouldn't, (breaking the law or policy, or something just plain dumb) while you're running your own camera, boo on you. There is no reason you should be caught off guard or surprised if video of you cursing out some citizen or failing to take action when you should (or are mandated by law or policy to do so) while you're recording yourself is later used to jam you up. It's just silly... Overall having the video has been 100% more beneficial in helping clear officers of complaints for rudeness, lying, excessive force, etc. etc. than it has been to get anyone jammed up.

Like them or hate them... Cameras are the wave of the future and they are coming to almost every agency (at least uniformed and patrol). Best tactic is to get out in front of it (agency wise and association wise) and get a good common sense policy in place which still gives an officer enough discretion of when to run it or not. Simple day to day citizen contacts and low level interviews for minor misdemeanors, does not have to be run. Major felonies, use of force, etc. incidents it *SHOULD* be on...